HYDROGEN CONVERSION
RHF'S TECHNOLOGY
THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY
WHY DO WE NEED A NEW HYDROGEN ECONOMY
PYROLOSIS, NOT HYDROLYSIS

The Hydrogen Economy

Many have heard about the Hydrogen Economy – it’s supposed to be the next big thing. But questions remain. For example: What is the Hydrogen Economy? Why do we need it? How will it affect my life? Here are some answers.

What is The Hydrogen Economy?

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. It also happens to be the best possible fuel – high energy content per pound; high flame velocity (six times that of most other fuels); high octane (150+); versatile (can run fuel cells as well as engines); it is very clean to burn (its only emission is pure water).

But hydrogen does have some drawbacks. In fact, due to some of its physical properties, it may be the worst possible energy transport and storage medium. Hydrogen does not exist in a pure form in nature (at least on Earth), so it must be extracted from water or some other compound of which it is a part. It’s the lightest element and does not like to be compressed, so getting enough in one place to do much good (such as the fuel tank of your car) is difficult and costly. (Most hydrogen demonstration cars have to be refilled after only 50 or 60 miles.) Unlike natural gas, hydrogen is not well suited for long-term storage or pipeline transportation. And, even though its dangers are often exaggerated (hydrogen was not the cause of the Hindenburg tragedy), those dangers should not be underestimated—hydrogen is extremely flammable and can be explosive.

With all of its problems, will hydogen ever be a practical, economically feasible fuel? Yes, but it will look different than we’ve been led to believe, and therein is the opportunity. Just as a whole economy developed around the exploration, production, refining and distribution of oil, there will be a new economy built around hydrogen. While much of what we been told about hydrogen is pure hype and fiction, the real benefits hydrogen will bring, and the innovation and investment it will inspire, are more than sufficient to justify the effort.